All signs point to college

February 3, 2011

National signing day always brings a buzz to high school campuses around the nation and Wednesday was no exception at Cape Coral and Island Coast.

No signees stepped up to the plate at Ida Baker, Mariner, North Fort Myers or Bishop Verot, but several are expected to sign at later dates.

Defensive end Jimmy Stewart at Island Coast made it official Wednesday. He's heading to the Vanderbilt Commodores instead of Maryland.

Article Photos

MICHAEL PISTELLACape Coral High School senior linebacker Josh Monteagudo signs a letter-of-intent Wednesday to play at Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas.

MICHAEL PISTELLACape Coral High School football coach Brad Metheny talks with senior wide receiver Prince Holloway Wednesday after he signed a letter-of-intent to play football at Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas. Holloway is one of three Seahawks headed to Hutchinson while Edsel Caprice is bound for South Florida and Chris Johnson to Navy.

"He made a visit to Vanderbilt and felt very comfortable there," said Bowen. "Several of Maryland's coaching staff left and went to Vanderbilt with a coaching change there. Jimmy just felt closer to that staff and likes the education opportunity there."

A defensive end at Island Coast, Stewart likely will become an outside linebacker at Vandy.

"He would have to put on a massive amount of weight and muscle to play defensive end, but he is looking forward to going to Vandy," said Bowen.

Defensive end Aaron Lynch graduated a semester early and already is enrolled at Notre Dame.

Lynch verbally committed to the Fighting Irish early in the fall, then had second thoughts and went on another recruiting visit to Florida State. Bowen said Notre Dame called Lynch and influenced him to stick with the Irish.

Bowen expects Brian Bosworth to sign an NCAA Division I scholarship in the coming weeks and quarterback Nelson Candelario is still undecided about his choice.

Five seniors at Cape High locked up their collegiate futures with ink pens Wednesday afternoon.

Edsel Caprice is headed to South Florida and Chris Johnson chose the Naval Academy.

Teammates Prince Holloway, Ricardy Joseph and Josh Monteagudo will stay that way at Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas.

"It's a compliment to the (Cape) program for so many athletes to sign," said Seahawks coach Brad Metheny. "College coaches recognize that good players come from good programs. The number is bigger than any I've ever had before sign at the major college level. We had five or six at Frostproof, but they were with small colleges."

Three or four more players are expected to make their decisions and sign in the coming weeks, Metheny said.

"I'm happy for Chris (Johnson) who could have gone to Harvard Prep or Navy," Metheny said. "He has done the work in the classroom and will do great at Navy at no expense to him."

Holloway, Joseph and Monteagudo are expected to qualify with grades to transfer after as little as one semester at Hutchinson, Metheny said.

Caprice had 14 offers to choose from, but liked USF the best.

"I like the coaches there and the location," Caprice said, "and it is close to home."

No football players signed at Bishop Verot, but soccer player Carolina Tejera accepted a scholarship with Spring Hill College in Alabama.

Coach Barry Goettemoeller at North High expects a few players to decide on Division II or Division III schools in the next month or so.